Truth Unites Abortion in the Early Church: The Surprising Witness We Need Today
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Jan 12, 2026 Gavin Ortlund delves into the early church's nuanced stance against abortion, emphasizing the foundational importance of human dignity and love for neighbors. He highlights biblical passages like Psalm 139 to support the value of life in the womb. The Didache’s explicit condemnation and Tertullian’s assertions of unborn life as equal to that of the born are reviewed. With insights from church fathers like Basil and Chrysostom, Ortlund encourages a thought-provoking retrieval of early teachings to craft a holistic pro-life ethic for today.
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Foundations Of Early Christian Pro‑Life Ethics
- The early church grounded its pro-life ethic in two theological principles: human dignity as image-bearers and neighbor love.
- These principles shaped a broad ethic that valued vulnerable people across society.
Abortion Called Murder In Early Texts
- Early Christian texts like the Didache label abortion as 'murder' using the same Greek word as the sixth commandment.
- This implies the fetus was regarded as a human neighbor deserving the same protection as those born.
Early Texts And Rescuing Exposed Infants
- The Epistle of Barnabas repeats the Didache's language condemning abortion and infanticide nearly verbatim.
- Early Christians sometimes rescued exposed infants and opposed cultural practices that permitted exposure.
